Shifting mechanism for type-writi ng machines



(No Model.)

9 J. C; GOWAN. SHIFTING MBGHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

No. 477,199. Patented June 21,1892.

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JAMES CASSELLS COIVAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRlTING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,199, dated June 21,1892.

Application tiled January 14,1892. Serial No. 418,008. (No modela TocrZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thai-.1, JAMEs CAssnLLs CowAN, a resident of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Shifting Mechanism for rl ype-\V1iting Machines,of which the following, when taken iu connection with the drawingsaccompanying and forming a part hereof, is a full and completedescription sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to understand,construct, and use the same.

My invention is designed to form a part in the construction oftype-writers wherein a paper-roller properly mounted in alongitudinally-movable carriage automatically moved in the working ofthe machine, upon which roller the paper to be printed upon is carried,is employed and wherein keys are connected by suitable mechanism topivoted levers arranged in a circular form, such levers having upon eachone thereof more than one type character the negative of the characterto be printed by the machine, such keys and typelevers arranged andconnected in such manner that upon the actuating of anyone of thetype-writer keys that one of the typelevers connected therewith will beactuated thereby and one of the type characters on the type lever willbe made to approach a point comnlon to one of the type characters on allthe otherl key-levers in the machine and the other or others, if morethan two, will be made to approach a point or points common to the othertype character, or others, if more than two type characters are placedon each keylever, on all the other key-levers of the machine, therebeing as many common points toward which the type characters aredirected as there are type characters on each type-lever, and a key orkeys whereby the paper-roller can be shifted so that the axial linethereof shall be brought over that one of the common points to which theseveral series of type characters are directed which it is desired toprint upon the paper contained upon the paper-roller.

The type-writer known in the art as the Remington type-writer may becited as one of the simplest in construction of typewriters of thisclass, there being in such ma chine but two type characters on eachkeylever, forming two series of type characters, two common points,toward one of which all the type-writer characters of one series aredirected and toward the other of which all the type characters of theother series are directed, and two positions of the paper-roller, in theone of which positions the axial line of such paper-roller is over oneof the common points named and in the other of which the axial line ofsuch paper-roller is over the other of such common points. In thismachine one series of type characters is known as the cap series and theother thereof as the lowercase series, and when the axial line of thepaper-roller is over the point common to the capaletter series of typecharacters a positive impression of all the type characters in suchseries can be imprinted upon the paper carried on lthe paper-roller bymeans of a colored ribbon interposed between the paper and the typecharacter as such type character is driven against the paper-roller, andwhen the axial line of such paper-roller is over the other of suchcommon points the type characters in the other seriesthatis,thelowerease seriescan be imprinted on such paper in the same mannerby the actuating of the keys of the machine.

In order to shift the roller so that the axial line thereof shall bechanged as required, when desired, such paper-roller is mounted upon thecarriage thereof so that it is movable laterally thereon by means ofkeys pro vided therefor and forming a part of the key board of themachine, and in order that for any desired time the type characters inone series may be imprinted upon the paper continuously mechanism isprovided yieldingly holding the paper-roller so that the axial linethereof is over the point common to the series desired, whereby when, ifat all, a type character of the other series is desired to be printedupon the paper by actuating the key provided therefor in the keyboard ofthe machine the roller is momentarily shifted, so that the axial linethereof is over the point common to the other series of type characterson the key-levers. As is well-known to those skilled in the use of thismachine, the longitudinal movement of the paper-roller is automaticallyobtained in a step-by-step manner by the movement of the carriage onwhich IOO the paper-roller is mounted as the keys of the machine aredepressed one after the other.

In the Remington type-writer as now and heretofore constructed a key isprovided, located on the left-hand side of the keyboard of the machineas the operator is seated thereat, by which, if such key be depressed,

when the paper-roller is yieldingly held so that the axial line thereofis over the point common to the typecharacters belonging to thelower-case series (and hence if a type-lcver is directed against thcroller a type character of the lower-case series is imprinted on thepaper carried thereon) such paperroller is moved laterally, so that theaxial line thereof is moved over the point common to the type charactersof the upper-case series, and such upper-case type character can beimprinted thereon by the depression of the proper key therefor, and asecond key is provided, located on the right-hand side of the machine asthe operator is seated thereat, by which, if such key be depressed, whenthe paper-roller is yieldingly held in position so that the axial linethereof is over the point common to the type characters belonging to thecap series the paper-roller will be moved so that the axial line thereofYwill be over tho point common to the lower-case series of typecharacters, whereupon on the depression of any one of the keys of thekeyboard provided therefor a lower-case type character correspondin'gtherewith will be printed upon the paper-roller.

In the practical use by me of the Remington type-writer machine-I havefound it very desirable when the paper-roller was in position so that atype character of the lowercase series would be imprinted on the paperthereon to be able to shift such roller by some one of the lingers or bythe thumb of the right hand as well as with some one of the fingers ofthe left hand by the key provided therefor on the left-hand side of thekeyboard of the machine, and also when the paper-roller was in suchposition that the type characters of the cap series would be imprintedon the paper contained thereon that such roller should be shifted sothat the axialline thereof should be over the point common to the typecharacters of the lower-case series with some one of the fingers or withthe thumb of the left hand by depressing a key on the left-hand side ofthe keyboard of the machine as Well as with some one of xthe fingers orthe thumb of the right hand by the key 'already provided therefor on theright-hand side of the machine; and the object of my invention is toobtain a shifting device whereby when the paper-roller is yieldinglyheld so that the axial line thereof is over either one of the pointscommon to the several series of type characters described the depressionof either one of two keys, one thereof located on the right-hand side ofthe keyboard of the machine and the other thereof located on theleft-hand side of the keyboard of the machine, shall move lthepaperroller laterally on the carriage on which it is mounted, so thatthe axial line of such roller shall be over the other one of the commonpoints named.

I have illustrated my invention by the drawings accompanying and forminga part hereof, in which- Figure l is a sectional View of a Remingtontype-writer, taken in a vertical plane to one side of the typecharacters of the machine, so as to show the frame-Work of the machineand the paper-roller carriage and paper-roller thereon belonging to themachine and showing my device in elevation. Fig. 2 is an enlargedelevation of my device in a position so that the paper-roller isyieldingly held over the point common to the lower-case series of typecharacters and so that by the depression of either one of the keysprovided in and actuating my device such paper-roller will be moved sothat the axial line thereof is over the point common to the cap seriesof type characters; Fig. 3, a front elevation of my device in positionto yieldingly hold the paper-roller so that the axial line thereof isover the type characters of the cap series, so that the depression ofeither one of the keys provided therefor will move the paper-roller sothat the axial line thereof is over the lower case series of typecharacters; Fig. 4, a sectional vieW of a portion of the frame of thetype-writer on line 4 4 of Fig. l, viewed in the direction indicated bythe arrows.

The same letter of reference is used to indicate a given part where morethan one View thereof is shown in the several figures of the drawings.

A is the frame of the type-writer.

B is the type-carriage.

C is the paper-roller, and D is the frame in which paper-roller C isjournaled. Frame D is adapted to move on the carriage B so that theaxial line of the roller C can be changed as, say, from the position inwhich the roller is illustrated by thel full lines in Fig. l to theposition in which such roller is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. land back again.

E is a type-lever (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l) pivoted at e.

E is the upper end of a connecting-link (indicated by dotted lines inFig. l) connecting the type-lever E to the key in the keyy board of themachine whereby it is operated.

F indicates by dotted lines in Fig. l a type character on type-lever Eof the lower-case series, and F indicates a type character of Vsuchlever E of the upper-oase series.

My invention does not relate to the typelever E, the connecting-link E',and the key v by which the type-lever E through such connecting-link Eis actuated or to the type characters F F', and I do not, therefore,illustrate fully such elements of the type-writer.

G G', Fig. 4, are key-levers, located, respectively, on the right andleft hand sides of the keyboard of the machine, by the actuating ofeither one whereof the paper-roller is IOO IIO

shifted from either one of lthe positions in which it can be yieldinglyheld by my device to its other position.

g is a spring holding key-lever G in position as shown in Fig. l. A likespring holds lever G in a like position.

II is a tube looselyjournaled on rod Zz, such rod ZL being now andheretofore placed in and found as an element in the type-writer.

I I are levers (duplicates) rigidly secured to the tube Il.

J J are links (duplicates) connecting the levers G G', respectively, tolevers I I. Lever G, lever I, and link .I being respectively, as stated,duplicates of levers G I and link J', such levers G I and link J areshown only in Fig. l and will not be referred to hereinafter in thedescription of the device, it being understood that as levers I and Iare severally rigidly secured to the tube II the depression of key Gwill at any time produce the same effect on tube H. and lever G as thedepression of the key G, the duplicate thereof.

j is a slot in link J, and fi is a pin secured in lever I, forming anabutment extending through the slot j. Levers I l' being both rigidlysecured on tube II, both such levers move in unison. The downwardmovement of the lever I in unison with the downward movement of thelever I will not force the lever G downward, but instead thereof the pinwill extend downward in slotj, and when the lever G is depressedtl'ierebythrough connecting-link J depressing lever I (thus turning thetube II, and hence depressing the lever I) the pin t" in the groove inlink J will in like manner move in the slot in such link J. K is agrooved lever rigidly attached to the tube II, and 7c is the groove inlever K. This groove extends to both sides of the axial line of the tubeIl, and hence when the lever II is turned on rod Zi. one end of thegroove Zt' (and the end on the side of the tube II from which lever Iextends) will be depressed and the other thereof will be elevated.

L L are rods now and heretofore found in type writers, Z being the leverconnecting them. The rod L is adapted to rock or turn in its journals orbearings, and thereby the rod L is swayed laterally, thus moving thetypewriter roller C and frame D thereof through means of the guides IPL2now and heretofore found in type-writers.

Z2 is a lever rigidly attached to rod L. Lever Z2 is ordinarily integralwith lever Z, such levers forming the arms of a bell-crank lever.

M is a lever forming a part of my device, having thereon semicircularedges forming the bearings fm m', adapted to iit over the shaft L, andalso having groove m2 therein, allowing the lever M to be moved andshifted so that eitherone of the semicii'cular journals or bearings m mmaybe in contact with such rod L.

M is a screw holding lever loosely in position.

m5 is the handle of the lever M, and m4 is the ordinary tension-springnow and heretofore in use on many Remington type-writers. By thedepression of the arm Z2 the swaying movement of the rod L'to the rightis accomplished when the paper-roller frame D, rods L L', and the armsforming bell-crank Z Z2 are in the position illustrated by full linesin) Figs. l and 2, and by the raising of arm Z- of such bell-crank Z Z2the swaying of rod L to the right is obtained when the paper-roller isin the position indicated by the dottedlines in Fig. l and the severalrods L L and bellerank Z Z2 are iii the position illustrated in Fig. 3of the drawings. In order to secure the depression of the arm Z2, sucharm 1s connected with the lever K by link N, pivoted at n to arm Z2 andhaving thereon abutmentz, extending through the groove Zt of lever Ix.

n2 is an abutment on the link N, and N' 1s a second link pivoted at n3to lever M and having therein groove n4, through which the abutment n2on the link N extends. lfy the link N it will be observed on inspectionof Fig. 2 of the drawings when the lever M is in position so that thebearing m thereon is on rod L the link N is in position so that theabutment n thereon is at that end of the groove 7c which is depressed bythe depression of the lever I or lever I', and by inspection of Fig. 3it will be observed that when the lever M is in the positon illustratedtherein so that the bearing m of such lever is on rod L by means of thelink N the link N is turned on its pivot n so that the abutment n is atthat end of the groove Zt in lever K which is elevated when the lever Iis depressed, and hence when the several parts M, N, and N aie in theposition illustrated in Fig. 3 the depression of the key G or key G willelevate arm Z2 of the bell-cranks Z Z, and hence the rod L will beswayed to the left. Spring m4 yieldingly holds the several parts in theposition illustrated in the drawings. Slot n4 is provided, so that asthe link N is raised or depressed, according to its position, asdescribed, the lever M shall not be actuated thereby, the movement ofthe lever M in the rockingof the rod L being controlled by the screw Min slot m2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a paper-rollershifting device for type writers, the combination ofa lever having two bearingsurfaces, a rod on which either of suchsurfaces may bear, a spring, one end whereof is attached to the leverand the other end to the type-writer, whereby thelever and the rod onwhich it bears are yieldingly held in a given position, a link pivotedto a lever extending out from the rod, a seeondlink pivoted at one endthereof to the lever bearing on the rod and at the other end havingaslot, through which an abutment on the firstdianied link extends, andan abutment on the longer end of the iirst-named link, a tube adapted torock on a rod, a lever rigidly secured to such IOO IZO

tube, extending on both sides of the axial line thereof, a slot in Suchlever through Which the abutment on the longer end of the rstnamed linkextends, and a lever rigidly secured to the tube with a link connectingsuch lever with a key-lever, substantiall y as described.

2. In a paper-roller-shifting device for typewriters, the combination ofa lever having two bearing-surfaces, a rod on which either of suchsurfaces may bear, a spring, one end whereof is attached to the leverand the other end to the type-writer, whereby the lever and the rod onWhich it bears are yieldingly held in a given position, a link pivotedto a lever extending out from the rod, a second link pivoted at one endthereof to the lever bearing on the rod and at the other end having aslot, through which an abutment on the Iirst-narned link extends, and anabutment on the longer end of the first-named link, a tube adapted torock on a rod, a lever rigidly secured to such tube and extending onboth sides of the axial line thereof, a slot in such lever through whichthe abutment on the longer end of the first-named link extends, anda'lever rigidly secured to the tube With a link having a slot at one endthereof, through which an abutment on the last-named lever extends,thereby connecting such lastnamed lever with a key-lever, substantiallyas described.

JAMES CASSELLS COWAN. Witnesses:

'STEPHEN A. REYNOLDS, FLORA L. HAYNES BROWN.

